The Eastern football team has garnered team and individual accolades in the preseason, but red-shirt senior Erik Lora and senior Jimmy Garoppolo said the team is more concerned with working hard in the preseason.

Lindy’s Magazine ranked the Panthers No. 18 in the FCS when the magazine presented its preseason rankings last Friday. This top-20 ranking for Eastern followed a No. 19 ranking that was given to the team by Sporting News Magazine on June 7.

The Panthers enter their second season under the command of Dino Babers and are coming off an Ohio Valley Conference title, sporting a 6-1 conference record and finishing 7-6 overall in 2012.

Garoppolo, Eastern’s quarterback, had his best collegiate year running a high-paced offense brought in by Babers. Garoppolo was a second-team All-OVC selection last year when he set the OVC single-season passing yards record with 3,823 yards.

Garoppolo said the team is not paying much attention to any of the preseason polls as the Panthers continue their spring and summer workouts.

“We aren’t really concerned with any of the polls that are coming out,” Garoppolo said. “We’re focused on getting better, winning the OVC and giving ourselves a chance to win a national championship.”

Garoppolo’s top target in 2012, Lora, also echoed his quarterbacks’ sentiments and said he along with the rest of his teammates are going through a rigorous conditioning program that would help the team increase its overall speed.

The OVC Offensive Player of the Year and a consensus first-team All American, Lora, said he does not put any pressure on himself after his record-breaking year.

Lora was picked as the preseason OVC Offensive Player of the Year and was selected as a first-team All-American by Sporting News.

“I don’t put any more pressure on myself than there needs to be,” Lora said. “I focus on my game and work hard to perform on the field. All of the preseason polls and awards aren’t important to us.”

Lora set an FCS single-season record with 136 receptions last year and was honored in late May with OVC Male Athlete of the Year.

The upcoming season will bring a new challenge, Lora said. As a senior, Lora said he is now viewed as one of the leaders on the team.

Babers said he had never seen a season by any player he has come across like the one Lora put up in 2012. The Eastern head coach also said Lora leaves everything on the field and tabbed Lora a leader by example.

“(Lora) is an extremely hard worker,” Babers said. “He plays every play like it’s his last play on the football field. He is a leader by example with his work ethic.”

Lora and Garoppolo were named to the 2013 offensive players to watch list on June 12 by the College Football Performance Awards. The honor highlights players whose performance merits recognition heading into the 2013 season.

With his name on the list, Garoppolo said he does not put attention to that and instead is focused on improving his play this season.

“One thing that I have to improve and work on are interceptions,” Garoppolo said.

The Eastern quarterback threw 31 touchdowns but also threw a conference high 15 interception in 2012.

Babers said Garoppolo’s leadership has greatly increased since the new coaching staff arrived a year ago.

“As he goes, we go,” Babers said of the quarterback. “If I had to describe him in one word it would be aggressive. He is aggressive in everything he does around the game of football. He always attacks.”

The Eastern season opener is not until the end of August at San Diego State, but Lora said the team is expecting big things, adding that the Panthers expect to win the OVC for the second consecutive year.

Aldo Soto can be reached at 581-2812 or asoto2@eiu.edu